Automatic feeding machine



Aug. 5, 1930. I H. A. M GILL 1,772,105

AUTOMATIC FEEDING MACHINE Filed Jan. 18, 1926 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 25" 5 g ATTORNEY.

Aug. 5, 1930; H A. McGlLL 1,772,105

AUTOMATIC FEEDING MACHINE Filed Jan. 18, 1926 4 Sheets-Sheer. 2

. INVENTOR. HUG/f r7. MGIMI A TTORNE Y.

Au g.r5, 1930. H. A. MCGILL 1,772,105

AUTOMATI C FEEDING MACHINE Filed Jan. 18, 1926 4 Sheets-Shet 3 INVENTOR.

' HUGH n. N mu.

Aug. 5, 1930. H. A. McGlLL 1,772,105

AUTOMATIC FEEDING MACHINE Filed Jan. 18; 1926 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 INVENTOR. Ill/6W Z MCCIILL.

Patented Aug. 5, 1930 even a. main, F seamen,

AuroiirArrc rnn'n'me mamas I 'Ap pli'cation filed January 13, 192 6;. Serial No. "82,054.-

My invention relates to a new and useful improvement in an automaticffeeding machine adapted for feeding work pieces individually to a machine in which the work piece is held by a pairof cooperating parts while the work is being'performed- The dex c i tially line 55 of Fig. l'slightly enlarged.

vice may be used on various types of machines such as screw machines, milling machines,

grinding machines etc. -and in the drawings I have shown the invention applied to a grinding machineof a well known type.

It is the object of the present invention to provide a mechanism whereby workpieces maybe automatically fed individually to the machine and automatically secured in'the machine preliminarily to the work performing operation and again automatically released andrplaced by a succeeding work piec'e upo'nthe completion of the working operation. c U V 1 c 7 Another objectof the invention is the provision of an automaticfeeding mechanismiof this class which will. be simple'in structure, economical of manufacture, highly efficient in use and adaptable for use on various types and kinds of machines. V y

Another object of the invention istjhe provision in an automatic feeding mechanism of this class ofmagnetically operated means for carrying and placing the work piece in operation and of automatic means-for deenergizing the magnetic means so that the work piece will be released by the feed mechanism when carried to the proper position. Otherobjects will appear hereinafter.

The invention consists in the combination and arrangement of parts hereinafter described and claimed. Y

The invention will be best understood from a reference to the accompanying drawings, which form a part of this specification and in which, I v c "Fig. 1 is a top plan view of the machine embodying the invention. I i

' Fig. 2 is a vertical cross sectional view with parts broken away taken on substantially line of Fig. 1'. c I n Fig. 3 is a fragmentary sectional view tak'eirciil substantially has 3- 3' of Fig. 2

tially line 7 7 of-Fig. 2.

showingparts in elevation and parts sec tion. I v M Fig. 4: is'afront elevational view of the machine shown in Fig. 1 with parts broken, away.

Fig. 5 is a sectional view taken on substan- Fig. 6 is a sectional view taken on substantially line 6-6 of '1. I q

. Fig. 7i is a sectional view taken onsubstan- Fig. 8 is a frontelevationalview of the face plate used in the invention taken on substantially line 8 8flof Fig.1. H

, Fig. 9 is a -fragmentarysectional view taken on substantially line 9-9 of Fig. 8 showing parts in elevation and parts in section.

\ Fig.10 is a sectionalviewtaken on sub- 'stantially line 10-1D of Fig; 12.

Fig. 11 is a fragmentary sectional, view takenonsubstantially line-1111 of Fig. 10.

fFig. 12 is a sectional view' taken on substan tially line 12 12 of Fig. 10;

Fig. 13- is a diagrammatic view of the wiring used in the invention. I

c The invention as shown in the drawings is illustrated asapplied to a vpower traverse grinding machine of a well known type with a, belt drive. The structure and detail of this i: machinearewell known to th'o'ssliilled in the so artand the parts of the machine are referred to only where it is deemed necessary to clearly explain the position and method of mounting the present invention.

The machine with whichthe invention is illustrated. comprises a supporting bed 22 slidably mounted upon which is a carriage 23. The machine is provided with a shaft 24 whichis rotated by the gear wheel'2 5 in the t usual manner-the shaft 24 serving to effect a reciprocation of the carriage 23 on the bed 22. As previously stated the. machine ill1is-. trat'ed is a'power traverse machine.

The grinding wheel 26 is covered by a shield 27 and rotated by means of the belt .28.

The machine is provided with the usual cone 29 adapted for driving theface plate 30'the face plate cooperating with a tail stock 31 to retain and holclthe work piece 31 in' position diifiiig 'the'g'riiiding operation.

' Projecting upwardly from the bed 22 are standards 32 and 33 which are positioned at opposite sides of the bed 22 each serving to form at its upper end a bearing for shafts 34 and 35, respectivelyupon each of which is mounted a. sprocket wheel 36 exterior of the support 32 or 33 as the case may be. Positioned over these sprocket wheels 36 are procket chains 37 which also pass around sprocket wheels mounted upon the-shaft 38 the shaft 38 being driven by suitable power,

means 39 which are connected by the chain 40 to a sprocket wheel fixedly mounted upon the shaft 38. The sprocket wheels 36 are fixedly mounted upon the shafts 34'and=35.. Fixedly mounted upon the shafts, 34 and 35 are sprocket wheels 41 which cooperate with sprocket chains 42 and 43 which pass around guide plates 44 and 45said guide plates extending downwardly in inclined position and terminating at their upper ends at the outlet portion 46 of a hopper 47 in which the work pieces are passed. The outlet 46-is provided with a suitable conveyor driven by the chain 48 so that the work pieces are delivered singularly tothe outlet end oftheoutlet 46. The chain 48 being suitably timectwith the rest of the mechanism. Each of the plates 45 r and 44 is provided atits outer side with a boss 50 in which is formed apocket for the reception of the inner endof the shafts 34 and 35. I r

Positioned between the plates 44 and is an electro-magnet 51-proj ecting outwardly from each side of which are studs 52 and 52.

Each of these studs engages in a slot 53 formed in the plates 44 and 45. The slot 53 in plate .45 is provided with a contact member 53 extending the fulllengthbf the slots so that the electro magnet 51 may be energized at will, as shown in Fig. 3. Projecting outwardly from each'side of the electro-magnet 51 adjacent the upper end thereof are shafts 54 and 55 which engage in the elongated longitudinallyextending slots 56 forinedin the plates 44 and 45. Extending upwardly from T the shafts 54 and 55 are L-shaped brackets 57 .and '58 which are connected to the sprocket chains 42 and 43 respectively-so that as the chains 42 and 43 travel around their sprocket wheels they carry the electro-magnet longitudinally of the plates 44 and 45. As the chain carries the electro-magnet 51 toward the upper end of the plates 44 and 45 the cores 51' are energized and serve to lift the work piece which is formed of metal from the discharge end of the outlet 46. As the chains 42 and- 43 continue theirtravel the elec tro-magnet moves downwardly into .the posltion shown in full lines in Fig. ,1, Fig. 2,

Fig. 3 and Fig. 4 at the lower endthereofat which time the electro-magnet hascarried the work piece into alignment with the center of the face plate and'the tail stock; 'At thistime theYelectro-magnet ole-energizes. Simultaneously with the de-energizing or just previously to the ole-energizing of the electroi magnet 51 the magnetic coil 59 is energized about the core 60 so as to attract the disc 61 which is mounted upon the shaft 62-which carries an additional disc 63 and is provided at its end with the tail stock 31. These discs are mounted in the housing 64 which is shown shown in full lines in 9 by'means of the spring 6'7. As soon as the work piece 31,

which in thepresent instant may be con- 7 s5 sidered to be a bolt is forced into the cup-I shaped member65 the arm 68 will be engaged by the endofythehead ofthe bolt. This will force the U-shaped engaging member. 66 to rockon its mountings as a pivot'so as to bring the end 69 lIitO' engagement with" the sides of the bolthead to firmly grip the bolt head and effect its rotation in unison with theface plate 30., I

The electric control is operated by the control drum 70 which is mounted upon theshaft 71 which is journaledin the housing 72 shown'in Fig. 1, Fig. 2 and Fig. 4. The shaft 38 projects through the housing 72 and carries a fixedly mounted sprocket wheelconnected by the chain '7 3 to a sprocket wheel fixedly mounted upon the shaft 71 upon which the drum 70 is fixedly mounted." On theperiphery of the drum 70' isYa metallic 'ban'd 74 which engages the contact 75; which; is electrically connected to a suitable source of electrical energy tl1eband74 being connected to the electro-magnet 51 so that when theband 74 engages the brush or contact 75 the electro-magnet 51 is energized.

suitably connected to a source of electrical energy and the band 7 6 being suitably connected to one end; of the coils 59 so as to en: ergize thecores 60 when the circuit is closed through contact with the band/76 and the brush or contact 77.

As soon as the work piece 31 is engaged.

between the face plate and the tail stock as described the carriage 23 is moved automatically to bring the work piece into engagementwith the grinding wheel 26. This automatic movement is effected by a closing of the circuit to the motor 7 8- by means of the engagement of the metallicband 79 with the brush 80 which is suitably j connected to 1 a source of electrical energy 80the-motor efie'cting rotation of the :gear wheel 25' UL! in i V Mounted on the periphery of the drum 70 is an interrupted metallic band 76-whic lr "engages the contact 77the contact 77 being through a reduction gearing 81. i This gear 81 duction gear 106 fixed on the shaft 24, and

thence to the gearwheel 25, and to the gear wheel 107 which is fixedto the lead screw 105 which in turn is engaged by a depending ciprocation of'the carriage 23for the purpose heretofore mentioned. This feature of the machine is of a well'known structure and pieoei'm'analalllyp 1 1 v Ii *While am iii lustrated :and describedthe preferred 'iGil-n Of structure; I do not wish' to 1 limit myself to theiprecise form of structure 1 80 consequently not illustrated in detail.

As the carriage 23 begins its movement the rod 82 which is mounted in a depending'portion 83 of the carriage 23 approaches a stop 84. The rod 82 is provided with a movable tongue 85 which engages the ratchet wheel 86 also mounted inthe depending portion 83.

As the carriage moves the rod 82 is forced backward against the pressure of the spring V V tens- Patentus 87 mounted upon the rod. 82 and serves to throw the ratchet wheel around one notch;

thus causing a'reversing of the field current of the motor 78 which drives the gear wheel 25. This isaccomplished throughthe contact disc 88 which cooperates withthe ratchet wheel 86. Mounted upon the disc 88 are the contact points 89. Positioned in the depending portion 83 so as to alternatively engage the contact points 89 are the spring pressed a m; electrically operated means for engage contact lugs 90. These contact points '90 are so positioned so as to alternately make contact with the points 89 thus reversing the field current of the motor. A rod91 whose action is similar to the action of the rod 82 is used to throw the ratchet when the carriage is moving in the opposite direction and is used through means of a resistance mounted in the line. Y

The current driving the motor is delivered from the circuit 2 through the wire 93 to a bus bar 94. This bus bar receives the full current and the motor is then run at normal speed. The current is transferred to the motor from the bus bar through means of the brush 95 mounted upon the depending portion of the carriage 83-said brush in turn delivering the current to the contact disc 88. As the carriage moves the workpiece toward the grinding wheel the brush passes from the bus bar 94 to the bus bar 96 which is insulated from the bus bar 94 and carries a lower current than the bus bar 94. This is accomplished by means of a rheostat or other variable resistance 97 mounted in the line and connected to the bus bar 96. This serves to slow down the speed of the carriage as the work is brought to the'grinding wheel so that the work is not fed into the wheel too rapid- 1y, thus preventing the undue wearing or possidolellbneaikage of the grinding wheel; 'As

the carriage travels suifioiently to bring the plating the. operation; the: fbandi 1203i the dnuanFZO engages theccohtact 104;which is lconne etedxito asuitable source of electrical {energy thus energizing thercoi'l159f which is thread portion 23, substantially effecting reo I that the =coi1l59 is deaenergized; thus effecting metractionof the shaft 62 :so :as to release the positioned :aboutthe core--60 .1 at the same time :work piece, the op ator removing thework shownybut desire to avail myself offlsuch variations :and modifications as come w ththeiscope of the appendedgclaims; .1

Having thus described; 'my' inv'ention' what I claim as new and desire to secure by Let- 1. automatic feeding mechanism of the class describedcomprisinga hopper for cone itainin'g work pieces;"a:-.ohute 'leadingqafirom said hopper; carryinglineanselectromagneti- :e'a'liy operated for engaging :a work piece on said chute and carrying the :same to-aieer- :tain ipositionon said machinm means for de energizing 18211.6]; electro-magnet =irneans upon the carrying ofisaicd work piece to said posih1g1 isaid wlork piece instantaneously the to operative position on sa d machin and :egmotatable drum zfor eontnoiiing tiie auta --1natic operationiof all iozt'saidmeansi .7 i2. feeding mechanism. er the class describ'ed nomprisingiz .aihopper f or containing owork pieces :a chn te leading from said hop per; electromagnetic foraenjgaging #said workpieceandmemowing the same f'ro'm said chute; 'a .grlnder; means for-,moving .wsaidamleetromagneticlanembe rsgsaid n chute to adjacent said grindery'fmeans for deaenergizing. said electromagnetic members at a predetermined position in the movement of the same toward said grinder, gripping means for gripping the workpiece slmultaneously upon de-energizing sald electromagnetic members; means for moving said grip+ ping means to carry said workpiece into engagement with said grinder; means for au-.

tomatically moving said gripping means away from said grinder after a predetermined time; and means for'relea'sing said workpiece from said gripping members after said movement.

3. A feeding mechanism of the class described comprising a hopper for containing workpieces; a chute leading from said hopper; electromagnetic members for engaging said workpiece and removing the same from said chute; a grinder; means'for moving said work piece to the :desired' position for comelectromagnetic members from said chute to adjacent said grinder; means for de-energizing said electromagnetic members at a predetermined position in'the' movement of the same toward-r said. grinder; gripping qmeans for gripping theworkpiece simultaneously upon de-energizing said electromagneticmembers-;'means for moving said grip- I o ping means to carry-saidiworkpiece into en- H10 gagement with said grinder;1neans,for auaway from said grinder aftervapredeter .minedtime;'means forreleasing said workpiece from said: gripping members after said movement; and means for automatically energiz'ing. said electromagnetic members up'on a approach ofthe same to said hopper; 4. A feeding mechanism of theclass der.

p H scribed comprising; a 'shaftya "hopper; a; .c v I 1 jchute leadingrffrom saidhopper; meansfor i rotating said shaft; a pair of g'earwheels' in tatable therewith; an auxiliary shaft; gear j .Wheels mounted on said auxiliary shaft in a spaced relation; chains for connecting corresponding wheels on said shafts; a plurality of: electromagnetic; members carried by said chains, the travel of said chainse'ffecting the -trave1 of said electromagnetic members into so proximity-with the chute; means for energiz i ing saidlelectrom'agnetic members upon ap- 13- preach of the same to the end of said shaft, -Said electromagnetic: members engaging the i --workpiece at;the end of said chute and'cona veyingthesame therefrom; gripping means sfor engaging the workpiece when conveyed away-from said chute; means for de-energizing saidelectromagneticmembers upon en J "gagement of the workpiece by 'said gripping ameans; a grinding memberyandimeans" for moving said gripping means relatively to 1 said-grinding member subsequent 'to engagement of said workpiece with said gripping 1 .111testimony'whereof; I have signed'the H I a w foregoing. A. '5 if 1 1- i i I YHUGH"'AILMQGILL;I r

ytomatically moving said gripping means -,Ii

spaced relation carried by said shaft' 'and ro- 

